*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

[MoNkeE]

Nah it's probably more to do with the fact that back then I weighed 5stone more, did very little cardio and didn't care about how much I ate (lets just say 3000cals in one sitting wasn't extreme). Still annoying.

I'd be happy with retaining that strength if I'd dropped 5 stone mate

3k kcals in one sitting tho? Jesus, I'm doing 3k a day, and struggling with eating 1,500 in each sitting (IF, two feeding periods)

 

[Clipsey]

Had a tasty back workout yesterday and really feeling it today!!!
Rack Pulls 4x8
Weighted Pull Ups 4x10
BOR 3x8 Super-setted with light speed BOR x12
Calf Raises 4x15
Seated Row 2x15
Rack Chins 2x12
DB Rows 2x8

Even with a dodgy leg everything felt great. Had not done Rack pulls in a long time but managed to get up 500lb raw, grip was ripped by then though lol

 

[icecold]

Well first time post here, been going to gym on and off for years, only recently spent a couple months getting into it. Goal is to shed fat build some muscle and get fit. Doing kettlebells which have made a real difference in my look in terms of pulling the whole together.

However, my knees are not great and squats are awful for me. I have started to use the leg press and up to 10reps with 130Kg. Weird thing is only glutes and hamstrings are sore. I never seem to get quad soreness even when trying to position feet lower down and 'squeeze'. I wonder if tendon strength is really 'working' the weight up...or am I misguided here?

Any thoughts appreciated!

What is stopping you from squatting? The usual cause of being crap at squats, is poor mobility. Do you stretch much? If not, you should try stretching after your workouts;I recommend PNF.

How wide are you feet positioned when you use the leg-press? As with squatting, the wider you go, the more weight is shifted to your hamstrings, the narrower you go, the more weight is shifted to your quads. When I use the leg-press, I have my feet a few inches narrower than shoulder width. I should also add, that when you go wide, more torque is put on your hips, and more torque is put on your knees when you use a narrower stance.

I tend to agree, but it's probably also due to collapsing feet/knees and lack of stability throughout the entire kinetic chain. Most notably, weak glutes.

 

[Amadeus]

Thanks for the replies guys. Yep for ages now my knee bend has bee painful. For example im envious of people that can haunch down on their knees in a sitting position off the floor - I can't even get halfway and have to stick bum right out lol. I tend to put a bench under when squatting and end sitting on that as sometime I can't get back up even with light weights (30Kg) etc.

But yes, I never stretch and its something I need to do more of as I get older. Ill give light squatting a try and persevere.....

 

[TommyV]

Females of the thread;

How to instigate conversation with ladies at the gym?

It's an awkward one - don't want to disturb their workout!

I've no trouble outside of the gym with this, it's just dodgey not coming across as a creep!

 

[LiE]

Just walk over next to them and do some bicep curls, while maintaining eye contact, smiling and a few winks.

 

[Delvis]

This should work:

 

[Deception]

This should work:

Haha, watched that episode. Now we need someone to do it in a gym and youtube it

 

[Delvis]

Guys, question:

Each week, i'm upping the weight on my routine until I hit a sticking point. My issue is with exercises that involve dumbbells, I HAVE to increase these by 2.55KG (1.25KG on each side of the DB) as these are the smallest weights we have...Shall I continue doing this? Or try and find a few small plates from somewhere?

Just asking really, as things like Flys and Arnold Presses etc will soon hit a dead stop due to the bigger jumps.

Ta

 

[Clipsey]

^^Those increases should be fine. Most DB's increase in those sort of ranges (5lbs), it's just your progression becomes slower and slower as you develop more. Just stick with it, take some de-load weeks here and there, up the reps etc

 

[willems]

Go for a run on a treadmill, it's hilarious!

stairs have been an issue the last two days

 

[Clipsey]

Oh, anyone have a decent link to a Hack Squat guide video, kind of like the Rippertoe (or whatever) deadlift videos. This is one exercise I can't seem to explain, and working with a female who can't get the grasp of it (tends to pull up and get's stuck sitting on the bar).

 

[Delvis]

^^Those increases should be fine. Most DB's increase in those sort of ranges (5lbs), it's just your progression becomes slower and slower as you develop more. Just stick with it, take some de-load weeks here and there, up the reps etc

Cheers man, I was just wondering if people used small weight increases on Dumbbells really We have two 1KG plates, but not four

 

[Clipsey]

Wait, do you use DB's where you attach the weight? Ewwww lol

 

[Skillmister]

My DBs increase in 2.5s to 25 then in 5s. So yeah, dealwithit.jpg

 

[milgo]

I agree with Clipsey Delvis.

Some dumbbells in my work gym jump 5kg. So if I was doing say 10 reps at 30kg and then jumped to the 35kg. I might aim to do 5 reps at 35kg and then drop back to 30kg and complete the set. Or if the 35kg sapped me enough I might drop to 27kg and then aim to increase those last five to the 30kg over time and eventually to the full set with 35kg.

Even if you can only manage a few reps initially, the strength will come in time and tbh I always work in rep ranges. so if I'm doing 2x15. Really I would be happy with 12-15reps with the first set hitting 15 and the last no lower than 12.

 

[Delvis]

Wait, do you use DB's where you attach the weight? Ewwww lol

Yep, it's a free gym at a school, can't moan.

My DBs increase in 2.5s to 25 then in 5s. So yeah, dealwithit.jpg

Cheers dude, just thought i'd pop the question

 

[Delvis]

I agree with Clipsey Delvis.

Some dumbbells in my work gym jump 5kg. So if I was doing say 10 reps at 30kg and then jumped to the 35kg. I might aim to do 5 reps at 35kg and then drop back to 30kg and complete the set. Or if the 35kg sapped me enough I might drop to 27kg and then aim to increase those last five to the 30kg over time and eventually to the full set with 35kg.

Even if you can only manage a few reps initially, the strength will come in time and tbh I always work in rep ranges. so if I'm doing 2x15. Really I would be happy with 12-15reps with the first set hitting 15 and the last no lower than 12.

Cool, cheers milgo, that will help when I get to a sticking point.

By the way, shoulder feels a bit better, managed yesterdays chest day easier than last weeks, so hopefully will be on the mend

 

[milgo]

Ah brilliant

Shoulder pain is so frustrating. You can always supplement the flies for a little while too if they exacerbate the problem.

 

[Delvis]

Ah brilliant

Shoulder pain is so frustrating. You can always supplement the flies for a little while too if they exacerbate the problem.

Aye, i'll see how things go